Ring
by Icka M. Chif
Summary: Ran's got a problem with suitors, and she knows just how take care of it with a little help from Shin'ichi....


This was originally written as a birthday fic for Loqi, waaaaaaaaay back in at the beginning of the year. She requested a Shin/Ran story, no angst. ((GLOMPS Loqi!)) Happy Belated Birthday!  
Shin'ichi SO does not like us. ~_~ It finished itself in time for Shin'ichi's birthday. o_O Happy Birthday Shin-chan!  
  
~*~  
  
Ring  
by Icka! M. Chif  
  
"Moshi Moshi, Mouri Tantei, Ran speaking." The voice on the other end of the phone is bright, none of the sadness that he knows she carries evident in it. She sounds happy.  
  
Is she really?  
  
"Hi, Ran." He tries to make his voice sound light. It sounds hollow to his ears.  
  
"Shin'ichi!" He doesn't need to see her to know that her face has just lit up, he can see it clearly in his mind's eye. "Shin'ichi! How are you doing?"  
  
"Alright." If one counts being shrunk into the size of a half pint and being chased by an international crime organisation out to kill him 'Alright'. "How are you doing?"  
  
"I'm doing okay." She said cheerfully. A lie, he knew her better than that. He didn't live with her as Conan for nothing after all.   
  
"Ran." He said seriously. "How are you really?"  
  
There's a slight pause, and almost a sniffling sound. "Never could hide anything from you, huh, Shin'ichi?" She said softly.  
  
"Heh." He forced a smile on both his face and voice. "I -am- a tantei after all. It's my job to know when people are hiding something."  
  
"Hmm." In his mind's eye, he could see her wiping her eyes, a crooked grin on her face. "It is, isn't it?" She murmured fondly. Her voice lightened, becoming almost forcibly cheerful. "I'm fine, really. It's just... You know how Sonoko's always bugging me to go out and find a boyfriend. And then recently... 'Kaasan started in on it too, introducing me to sons of her colleagues, or new people at work, and now Tousan's getting in on the act too."  
  
He knew this, and had been watching it wear down on her for a couple weeks now. This was why he had called her after all. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. "So why don't you?"  
  
"Shin'ichi?" Surprise and confusion in her voice tore at him.  
  
"Go out with one of them."  
  
It hurt to say the words, but he had to. He had been serious when he had said that he didn't want to see her cry because of him anymore. And if she could find someone else that made her happy, he wasn't going to stand in the way.   
  
A soft gasp, and probably more tears. "No, Shin'ichi..."  
  
"Why not?" He schooled his voice to sound perfectly calm logical.   
  
"Because... because..." She trailed off and he closed his eyes, trying to block the pain that this was causing out. Because she still loved him, even after all this. Just like he loved her.  
  
"Because I don't want to date anyone!" Ran finally snapped, her temper rising. "Shin'ichi no baka! If I wanted to date someone else, I would, OKAY?!"  
  
He blinked, his heart suddenly going time and a half. "Uh, oh-okay..." That had been un-expected. -Very- welcome, but not expected.  
  
He cleared his throat, pretty sure he was blushing. "So, um... have you told them that?"  
  
"Several times." She grumbled, obviously frustrated. "But they won't listen!"  
  
"Anything I can do to help?" He offered. "I'm kind of stuck where I am right now, but..." He trailed off, uncertain of what to say, or what he was offering. And the 'stuck' comment was a massive understatement...   
  
"Actually..." The frustration was replaced by a slightly amused and very fond warm tone. "Yes, yes there is." Her voice grew more assured.  
  
"What?" He tried not to sound too eager about it.  
  
"Um.." He could practically see her blush again. "Can you get me a ring?"  
  
"r-Ring?" His voice stammered over the word as he remembered the last time he tried to give her a ring. There had been a murder and he'd abruptly changed back to Conan. Not one of his fonder memories.   
  
Her bell like laughter rang out as her tone turned decidedly mischievous "Let's just say I've got an idea..."  
  
"Why does that scare me?" He quipped dryly, resigning himself to this favour. "Alright. Any preferences?"  
  
"Ugh-uh." He could see her shake her head, that fond crooked smile back again. "What ever you think would fit best."  
  
"Fit best huh?" He mused it over. "Okay. I'll see what I can do." How the heck was he supposed to find something that 'fit best'?! He didn't know jewellery!!!  
  
"I'm sure the great 'tantei-san' can figure something out." She teased gently.  
  
He grumbled in return, sending her into peals of laughter again.  
  
~*~  
  
The ring was remarkably simple to choose. Simple silver ring with a single deep red garnet in the middle. Ran's favourite colour was red, after all. He'd spotted it almost right away and thought it was perfect.   
  
Getting it was another story entirely. Most 7 year olds didn't buy jewellery, unless you counted the plastic toys that came out of the vending machines. Asking for Dr. Agasa's help was out, he wanted to do this on his own. The sales lady gave him funny looks for requesting the ring and paying for it, so he had grinned cheerfully and explained that he was running errands for his 'niisan. Which was close enough.  
  
The sales lady had smiled indulgently at that and wrapped the ring up in a box with a long red ribbon. Which was well and good, if he had needed a box. As it was, the ribbon got wrapped up in the ring when he tried to put it in the palm of Ran's hand when she was asleep on the couch. It was an old trick, 'Shin'ichi' appearing while she was asleep, but it worked well.   
  
After a few pulse pounding minutes, afraid that he was going to wake her up, he finally left the red ribbon wrapped up in the fingers of her left hand and the ring and crept out of the room, to wait for when she woke up. Ran could probably use the ribbon to wear the ring around he neck if she wanted, or maybe for her hair, if she wore it up.  
  
And there was the faintest niggling feeling in the back of his head that he was forgetting something that he should remember, about a red ribbon, or a thread tying people together...   
  
~*~  
  
"Ran!" Sonoko waved as they approached the cafe. "We're over here!"   
  
"Sonoko!" Ran waved back, then glanced down to give Conan a smile as they wound their way through the tables of the cafe to where her brunette friend waited.   
  
She paused slightly, and he nearly ran into her as they got a better look at the table. Sonoko wasn't alone, there was a guy with her, looking slightly anticipatory and nervous. Conan scowled and wondered if it would be acceptable for him to kick the guy in the shins, grab Ran and make a run for it.  
  
Ran straightened her shoulders and continued forward, a strained smile on her face. Sonoko's grin grew larger as they approached the table. "Ran! I'd like you to meet Kenshin. He's the son of one of Dad's associates."  
  
"Nice to meet you." Ran said politely, clutching her purse up with her left hand.   
  
The red-head paused, a slight eyebrow raise. "That's a lovely ring." He commented, motioning to the silver and garnet ring on the middle finger of Ran's left hand.  
  
Ran positively lit up. "Thanks. Shin'ichi gave it to me." The simple words were spoken with a great fondness that left no question as to her feelings towards Shin'ichi, regardless of the lack of identity.  
  
"Really?!" Sonoko's eyebrows raised. "Let me see that! You didn't tell me!" The brunette launched into a cooing stream of babble over how sweet that was. Kenshin smiled and quickly made up an excuse to leave. Sonoko didn't even notice, though Ran waved goodbye.   
  
Shin'ichi, in the guise of Conan, stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled.   
  
~*~  
  
-fin-  
  
Kenshin showed up because we needed a male character and Loqi likes Kenshin. ^^;;  
  
Odd facts about Garnets and silver, found out AFTER it had written itself in:  
  
Silver is known as a "feminine metal", enhancing the power of one who wears it. Also cleanses the body of impurities, strengthens psychic abilities, used for protection and comfort and can never be touched by magic. (which has to suck for Heiji in Night Dreams)  
  
Garnet is known to dispel sadness. It is thought to protect sleepers from nightmares and travellers from danger. Garnet is also the stone of the 1st chakra (ruling over the root of the body--the base of the spine), bestows friendship, generosity, and long life, when worn attracts true love and faithfulness  
  
The Persephone myth also gave partial rise to the belief that garnet is a stone for loved ones who travel and a crystal that can heal the broken bonds between lovers.   
  
.... Waaaaaaaaaay too accurate there. Voices know more than I do sometimes. 


End file.
